Former Bremerton sailor gets 2 years for illegal weapons sales

A 31-year-old Bremerton man was sentenced Thursday to two years for stealing and selling sensitive military equipment.

Wilfred J. Bouton was also sentenced to three years of supervised release and ordered to pay $62,311.42 in restitution.

He was sentenced in federal court in Connecticut.

Court documents say Bouton was with an explosive ordinance disposal unit at the Whidbey Island Naval Air Station.

Bouton, a gunner’s mate first class, stole gun sights and related accessories from his unit’s armory from 2007 through 2009, according to court documents. Among the items stolen were advanced combat optical gunsights, rifle scopes, spotting scopes and range finders, which are designed for snipers.

Court documents say Bouton sold the equipment over the Internet to Danai Vira, also known as Arkradani Viranuvatti, 31, of Sanford, Fla.. Vira re-sold the equipment to others, including Carl Williams, 40, of Savannah, Ga.. Williams sold the items to buyers in the United States and overseas, federal prosecutors say.

Prosecutors say records show at least 64 sales between Bouton and Vira from September 2007 to June 2009. More than $90,000 was paid for the equipment.

Bouton was arrested in July 2009 and discharged from the Navy the next month.

He pleaded guilty in October 2009 to one count of conspiracy to traffic in stolen government property. Vira and Williams have pleaded guilty to the same charge. Each was sentenced to one day of imprisonment and three years of supervised released.